10th International Temperate Reefs Symposium (ITRS)
Ally Evans
Aberystwyth University
10th International Temperate Reefs Symposium (ITRS), University of Western Australia, Perth
The spectacular University of Western Australia, Perth, was host to the 10th International Temperate Reefs Symposium (ITRS) in January 2014. The ITRS has a committed following of marine scientists working on temperate hard-bottom habitats. Scientific collaboration and communication are considered a key focus of this broad and inclusive symposium. The overarching theme for the 2014 meeting was Ecological Transitions, encompassing research on natural rocky reefs, man-made structures, and biogenic surfaces. Session themes included Global Change Biology and Ecology, Thresholds of Change, and Human Impacts.
As part of the Human Impacts theme, I delivered an oral presentation entitled “Building-in beneficial features: an artificial rockpool case study”. In the third year of my PhD study, this was a tremendous opportunity to present my research to experts in the field and to seek valuable feedback before entering the critical final stage of the project. A personal highlight was listening to a plenary delivered by CSIRO’s Dr Alistair Hobday about the importance of applied research and partnership with management agencies for addressing the challenges of climate change. As a PhD student working on an applied ecological conservation project, this inspired and encouraged me about the value and potential impact of applied science, in a world where blue sky research often receives greater esteem.
A lively poster session and social programme also allowed me to form rewarding links with a wide range of people at all stages of their careers. I have returned to work at Aberystwyth University with a renewed energy and enthusiasm for my research and potential future career. I am truly grateful to the Challenger Society for their generous grant funding which enabled me to attend this conference.
Latest News
Potential Availability of NERC Ship Time During the 25/26 Programme Year
The NERC Marine Facilities Programme for 2025/2026 for the RRS Discovery and the RRS James Cook has been published on the Marine Facilities Planning website.
The RRS Discovery programme currently contains a 79 day alongside slot between the 2nd of November 2025 and the 19th of January 2026, which is available for science delivery if funded science projects can make use of this time. Due to the location of the vessel, the ship is most likely to be able to deliver fieldwork in the North and East Atlantic regions. Some support for science capability within the National Marine Equipment Pool is potentially available, although there is no capacity for use of autonomous vehicles or remotely operated vehicles. Any fieldwork within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) will need the appropriate diplomatic clearance submitted to coastal states at least 6 months in advance, and to NMF with sufficient lead time for processing via the FCDO.
If interested in making use of this ship time, please contact NERC Marine Planning (marineplanning@nerc.ukri.org) ASAP to start discussions.
THE MARINE FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD – CAN YOU HELP?
The Marine Facilities Advisory Board advises the National Oceanography Centre on marine facilities and services, including the Natural Environment Research Council’s National Marine Equipment Pool (NMEP), the British Oceanographic Data Centre and the British Ocean Sediment Core Research Facility.
NOC Association AGM 2025
NOC Association (NOCA) AGM 2025
The 14th AGM of the NOC Association will be held on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th May 2025. This free, on-line event will take place on Zoom, across two consecutive mornings, each starting at 10:00 and ending at 12:30. Although discussion topics are being finalised, we will focus on national capability (NC) science, ships, and autonomous vehicles, and how the community can engage. There will be an update on AtlantiS and on the new marine science scoping group. All are warmly welcome to join. To participate, please complete your registration here. For enquiries: Jackie Pearson, Secretary to NOCA: jfpea@noc.ac.uk